Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 58:1288–1293 (2007) SSFP and GRE Phase Contrast Imaging Using a Three-Echo Readout

A technique for rapid in-plane phase-contrast imaging with high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is described. Velocity-encoding is achieved by oscillating the readout gradient, such that each 2DFTphase-encode is acquired three times following a singleRF slice-selective excitation. Three images are reconstructed, from which both flow velocity and local resonance offset are calcu-lated. This technique is compatible with both gradient-recalled echo (GRE) and balanced steady-state free precession (SSFP) imaging using a single steady-state. The proposed technique enables 1D velocity mapping with 40 % higher temporal reso-lution and 80 % higher SNR, compared to conventional PC-MRI using bipolar velocity-encoding gradient pulses. Magn Reso